NBC’s ‘Hannibal’ Casts Bryan Fuller Vet as Dr. Chilton

Though the series itself has yet to secure a mid-season premiere date, we've been hearing quite a bit about the various Bryan Fuller alum chosen to take part in the director's upcoming NBC drama 'Hannibal,' an adaptation of author Thomas Harris' classic Hannibal Lecter mythos. And while most castings have focused on original characters, we've just learned that Fuller vet Raul Esparza has been cast as the classic seedy character Dr. Frederick Chilton! So how long will the good doctor be in for?

While we wouldn't expect Clarice Starling to pop up anytime soon, we've just learned via TVLine that NBC's Bryan Fuller-helmed drama 'Hannibal' has cast a major role familiar to fans of the series, that of Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane specialist Dr. Frederick Chilton! Fuller vet and former 'Pushing Daisies' star Raul Esparza will take the role, appearing in at least two episodes.

It's likely the good doctor will appear when Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) pay a visit to an incarcerated BCH patient claiming to be the Chesapeake Ripper, as played by comedian Eddie Izzard. As fans of the series will remember Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane will eventually come to house Hannibal Lecter himself, and foster the cannibal's deep distaste for Dr. Chilton.

In addition to Laurence Fishburne’s Jack Crawford and wife Gina Torres playing Crawford’s wife, Bryan Fuller’s ‘Hannibal’ features ‘SNL‘ alum Molly Shannon, ‘Pushing Daisies’ vet Ellen Greene, ‘Wonderfalls’ stars Chelan Simmons and Lara Jean Chorostecki as a female interpretation of ‘Red Dragon’ character Freddy Lounds. Set in the early days of Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen)’s partnership, Fuller’s envisioned series is said to be “a love story” told across at least seven seasons.

What say you? Is Raul Esparza a good fit for Dr. Chilton, previously played by Benjamin Hendrickson and Anthony Heald? What other Thomas Harris characters would you like to see appear?